Ultimate Guide to Music Arrangement for Live Performance

Live performances can allow you to add a new flavor to the song you are performing, and there are music arrangement techniques to amplify your performances.

Let’s have a look at what they are!

Straight Cover vs Live Music Arrangement

Before you begin, you will likely have to decide whether to do a straight cover or a live music arrangement. Typically, you will settle on one or the other when:

Straight cover:

• You have limited time
• The song you are covering is iconic
• You are a new musician

Live music arrangement:

• Your band is capable of pulling it off
• You are limited in setup

Not sure which to decide? Read the original post here:
Straight Cover vs Live Music Arrangement: Which is Better?

Live Music Arrangement Techniques

Band-Level

First, we will discuss the big picture of instrumentation and band configuration for live music arrangements.

Band Setup

In the big picture, your band setup will determine your music arrangement the most.

Smaller band setups may have lesser capabilities and require more work to produce the music. Bigger bands have more hands to realize the music fully.

Solo, Duet, Band, and Big Band are the various band setups. Here are the common configurations:

Solo

• Vocals+Instrument
• Vocals Only
• Instrument Only
• Vocals+instrument+Looper

Duo/Duet

• Vocals, Guitar
• Vocals, Vocals+Piano
• Drums, Vocals+Piano
• Piano, Cello

Band

• Piano, Bass, Vocals
• Drums, Bass, Guitar+Vocals
• Drums, Bass, Guitar, Guitar+Vocals
• Drums, Bass, Guitar, Guitar, Keys, Vocals

Big Band

• Drums, Bass, Guitar, Piano/Keyboards, Vocals, Backing Vocals
• Drums, Bass, Guitar, Piano/Keyboards, Brass, Strings, Vocals
• Drums, Bass, Guitar, Brass, Strings, Vocals, Backing Vocals

Instrumentation

Sometimes, an instrument in the original arrangement is absent in your band. This can be the keys, guitar, or singer.

In these situations, bands usually substitute another instrument to take up the roles if the musician has enough availability. This can mean:

• Keyboardist playing the Lead Guitar parts
• Lead Guitar playing the Melody
• Lead Guitar playing swells to emulate Keyboard pads
• Singer singing the riff

The band may also intentionally change the original instrumentation to give a different taste to the song.

• Synths to substitute Brass
• Acoustic Drumset to substitute Rock Drumset
• Moog Bass to substitute Electric Bass

This is often done when changing genres, which will be covered below.

Song-Level

Next, we will dive into how you can make live music arrangements the songs you will be playing.

Transposition (Key change)

Key changes to the song, or Transposition, are made to accommodate the melody. This is usually specific to singers, but can also apply to saxophones, trumpets, violins, and more.

Changing the song’s key will result in the performance key being different from the original key, creating a live music arrangement.

Usually, all non-percussion instruments (bass, guitar, keys) are affected by this change. Musicians will need to adjust their playing to produce the desired key.

Key adjustments may sometimes be made during the jamming session itself, therefore it is good to equip yourself with the Diatonic Chords to speed up the process.

Live example of Transposition

Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi (Original, G Major):

Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi (Live, Gb Major), lowered for decreased vocal range:

How to Transpose?

1. Have the singer sing the song in the original key
2. Listen for straining in the singer’s lower/higher ranges
3. If the singer struggles in the:
   • Lower range: Raise the key
   • Higher range: Lower the key
4. Depending on how far the highest/lowest is from the singer’s range
   • Far: Adjust by 5 or more semitones
   • Near: Adjust by 1 or 2 semitones
5. Check that the singer can sing the highest and lowest notes in the song
   • If their range is too small, look for workarounds (eg. altering the melody)
   • If their range is large, explore pushing the key higher until the singer is right below their limit (the highest note should be stable, comfortable, and strong)

Form

Form, also known as the song’s structure, is how a song flows from one segment to another. You may have heard of terms like Intro, Verse, and Chorus. These terms describe parts of the song and give it a storyline.

• Intro: Start of the song. It may introduce themes and riffs that will later be reinforced.
• Verse: Storytelling segment. Sets up the context of the song
• Chorus: Climax of the song. Where the theme of the song is fully explored

Some live performances will change the song’s form to give it a new story. This can include:

Start

• Big Band Entrance
• Slower Ballad
• Drums Only
• Acapella
• Band Instrumental with Chorus Chords

Middle

• Solo (Individual or round-robin)
• Instrumental
• Song breakdown / Groove change
• Repeat the last Chorus of the song

End

• Rock ending (Band makes noise for a while and ends on drummer cue)
• Audience choir
• Fade out
• Slow down to a big crash

Changing the song’s form should not change its original story, but enhance the story, giving more details on top of what is already there.

Live example of Form change

This is a live performance of Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars, with an extended intro:

How to change the Form?

1. Study the structure of the song
2. Decide on the segments that cannot be changed
3. Insert a new segment (usually instrumental) into the desired point in the song. Refer to the examples above for some suggestions
4. Play the whole song with the changes to check the flow

Genre

Genre describes the style of music. It is a humongous umbrella comprising many sub-genres, with many more being created today. Some common genres you will encounter are:

• Pop
• Rock
• Funk
• Jazz

Every genre and sub-genre has characteristics that make them unique to others. These traits may or may not be strictly adhered to, thanks to the constant blurring of lines between genres.

For example, disco is often characterized by a constant bass thud throughout the song, an essential energy source for dancers in a club. You can hear it in the example below:

Now, what happens if you change the genre of the same song to Rhythm n’ Blues (RnB)? Have a listen:

The effect of this music arrangement technique is often mesmerizing, as it will give a completely different taste to the original. Slowing down a formerly fast-paced song is a nice change of pace and allows listeners to enjoy it in a different dimension.

Some more examples of common characteristics:

Genre	Characteristics
Pop	Cyclic Chord Progression (Chords repeat throughout the song) Clean instruments (Distortion is uncommon) Chorus with a memorable hook Standard structure (Verse-Chorus) Commonly love-themed Clear vocals
Rock	Prominent use of Electric Guitar Strong Backbeat rhythm (Eg. Kick – Snare – Kick Kick – Snare) Drums and Bass are usually locked in Wide range of themes Grittier Vocals
Jazz	Swing rhythm Chromaticism (Non-Diatonic Harmony) Heavy use of Improvisation Blues Scale
Funk	Bass Guitar will anchor on the 1st beat Tight instrumentation (Lack of sustained notes) Syncopated rhythms Usually instrumental-driven (No vocals)
Disco	Constant Kick drum (Four-on-the-floor) Heavy use of synths, brass, and strings Dance-like rhythm Syncopated basslines

Live example of Genre change

Postmodern Jukebox has played a huge part in spearheading this music arrangement technique, by converting genres of modern popular songs to genres throughout the 1900s.

How to change Genre?

1. Decide on a genre you want to tackle
2. Take note of the song’s elements that should be included (eg. Riff, Chords, Intro, etc.)
3. Apply aspects of your desired genre on the instrumentals
4. Add vocals once the instruments are ready with the genre

Rhythm

Closely related to Genre, Rhythm is the percussive unit of measure in music, characterized by how a bar is subdivided into smaller beats.

The rhythm section of the band drives the rhythm of the song. Every instrument contributes a part to the overall rhythm. The drums arguably contribute the most to the rhythm, setting the groove and energy.

Some genres are recognized from specific rhythm patterns, such as disco as mentioned above. In some cases, genre change goes hand-in-hand with rhythm change.

The song’s energy changes when changing rhythms, and it can go from a slower ballad-style feel to a rock-like atmosphere.

How to change Rhythm

1. Decide on a rhythm to use (Usually results in Genre change)
2. Have the drummer play the rhythm
3. Instruments will build a rhythm around the drum pattern, either playing with or around the subdivisions
4. The singer will adjust the singing cadence to match the band

Dynamics

Dynamics is a measure of energy in the band. Often associated with volume, many factors determine a song’s dynamics.

Low Dynamics	High Dynamics
Softer notes	Harder notes
Few subdivisions in a bar	More subdivisions in a bar
Low frequency (Warmer tone)	High frequency (Brighter tone)
Less instrumentation	More instrumentation

Lowering a song’s dynamics can create space while increasing a song’s dynamics can fill up space. Changing a song’s dynamics can allow for this cycle of space and fullness in a song.

Example of Dynamics

Have a look at the song Fix You by Coldplay. The song starts with a lower dynamic to set the mood. In Verse 2, they pick the energy up with an acoustic guitar and pads. Then the climax is brought in with electric guitar, drums, and more vocals.

Ways to change Dynamics

Instrument	Increase Dynamics	Decrease Dynamics
Drums	Increase strength Add ghost notes Heavy on cymbals More fills	Decrease strength Remove ghost notes Light on cymbals Less fills
Guitar	Full strum Sustained strum Higher position Brighter tone (Tone settings)	Light strum/Chug Strum with rhythm Lower position Warmer tone (Tone settings)
Bass	Rhythmic notes Add ghost notes Slapping/Popping Higher strings	Sustained notes Remove ghost notes No Slapping/Popping Lower strings
Keyboard	More embellishments Brighter patches (Synths, Brass) Rhythmic notes	Less embellishments Warmer patches (Pads, E.Piano) Sustained notes
Vocals	Higher register (Belt / Mixed / Head) Gritty tone High volume	Lower register (Chest / Mixed) Clean tone Low volume

Structure-Level

Modulation

Modulation is a temporary key change in the song. Modulation is often an aesthetic decision, compared to Transposition (described above) which is often functional.

Modulation is used in many different ways, and some are more common than others.

Examples of Modulation

In this example of The Actor by Michael Learns To Rock, the song (Key of C) modulates to the key of Eb every 3 lines.

In another example of Love on Top by Beyonce, she modulates by a semitone for every repeated chorus (bless her vocals) at the end of the song:

How to Modulate?

Up Key

In live music arrangements, most modulations are done at the end of the song, when the chorus is repeated in a higher key. This can be seen in songs like Man In The Mirror by Michael Jackson or Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi.

1. Add a repeated chorus to the song
2. Decide on a key to change to. This is usually +1 Semitone / Tone
3. Arrange for a big transition into the repeated chorus. A transition chord (usually the V7) is used
4. Increase the dynamics in the last chorus

Instrumental

If your band decides to add an instrumental breakdown in the middle of the song, you can take advantage of this and modulate to a different key.

1. Add an instrumental breakdown to the song
2. Decide on the key and chord progression
3. Make the breakdown interesting (Attacks, Reharmonization)

Re-Harmonization

Re-harmonization is the practice of taking a preceding harmony and changing it completely. This technique is frequently employed in the jazz scene, where musicians tend to push the limits of harmony.

Re-harmonization gives an exotic and tasteful sensation as listeners are subject to a new perspective of chords.

Mehotds can be as simple as borrowing chords from a different key to being in full exploration mode.

Examples of Re-Harmonization

How to Re-Harmonize?

Jacob Collier, a musician known for his in-depth knowledge of harmony, says that “there are no wrong notes” when exploring harmony. The technique below is just the tip of the iceberg of re-harmonization techniques.

Borrowed chords

Using borrowed chords is replacing the chords of a song with chords that are not part of the song’s key. This can mean using chords from:

• Parallel Major/Minor
• Relative Major/Minor
• A different Mode
• Keys that are less closely related to the current key

A common example is in the chord progression of I – V – vi – IV. Musicians will commonly add a iv chord right after the IV chord before ending the progression.

Because there are no wrong notes in harmony, it all depends on how much spice your audience can take.

For more spicy details on re-harmonization techniques, check out this post:
https://www.skoove.com/blog/reharmonization-techniques/

Vocal Embellishments

Vocal embellishments are techniques where singers alter their singing to enhance the music. You may have heard of vibrato, one of the techniques used.

Some singers, such as Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande, are renowned for their heavy use of vocal embellishments.

Singers have more freedom to use vocal embellishments during live performances due to the spontaneous nature of the performance.

Examples of Vocal Embellishments

Here is the famed Mariah Carey in her live performance of Without You (one example is 0:35):

How to add Vocal Embellishments?

Vibrato

Vibrato is the technique of adding vibrations to the notes that you are singing. Contrary to popular belief, vibrato does not involve raising and lowering the note’s pitch, but rather the volume.

Most singers develop vibrato after they master good breath control. With the right use of vibrato, singers can add a layer of vocal candy to the music.

Altered Melody

Melody alteration is when the singer changes the melody of the song. It may be done for various reasons, such as:

• Working around a difficult note
• Changing up the melody to give a different experience
• Match what the band is playing

This can be seen in Beyonce’s last upkey in the live example below.

Runs

Runs are short phrases of notes that extend the current note you are singing. This is a big ear candy that singers can give during their performances as they are very prominently heard.

Christina Aguilera uses this technique a lot in her songs and live performances. Some listeners identify her by the frequent use of runs.

In the example above, Mariah fills the space with a vocal run.

Fills

Fills are short music phrases that fill the spaces between bars or music ideas. They often help to lead to the next line or segment of the song and maintain momentum.

Fills can last as short as 1-2 beats or as long as 2 bars. They also tend to be placed such that it will end when the bar ends.

Depending on the band, they can allocate spaces in the song to allow an instrument to add a fill. There is usually only 1 instrument giving a fill to prevent clashing.

In a live music setting, the band has more freedom to add and change fills that are present in the original song.

Live example of Fills

Relooking at Love On Top again (this time the live version), listen to how the drum fills every time Beyonce modulates, starting from 2:44 :

How to add fills?

Instrument	Fill
Drums	Tom Rolls (High to Mid to Low) 16ths Snare Roll Paradiddle across the drumset 8th note build up
Bass	Adding the 5th and Octave notes Chromatic Notes Climb up the Pentatonic Scale
Guitar	Chord Jabs at higher position Lead lines on the Pentatonic Scale Tapping melodic lines
Keys	Blues scale Embellishments using the highest registers Melodic line using the Major scale
Vocals	Oohs and Aahs Vocal embellishments and runs (Vibrato, trills, turns)

Attacks

Similar to fills, Attacks are music phrases executed by the whole band. Attacks are done to emphasize the musical idea and amplify its effects.

Many more songs nowadays utilize attacks as part of the original recording. In cases where the original song does not have attacks, live performances can use attacks to enhance the music and bring a wow factor.

Most attacks have a rhythmic element, requiring the entire band to time them properly. They can range from simple cuts to full melodic phrases.

Live example of attacks

In the live performance of 24K Magic by Bruno Mars, some attacks can be found at:

• 1:40 – Band attacks on the downbeat
• 3:43 – Band accents on the e of 1

How to add attacks?

Here are the common types of attacks that musicians employ:

Accenting

Accenting is the method of emphasizing specific notes in the song, by playing the note slightly louder and more obviously than other notes.

1. Pick a phrase in the song you want the band to accent together
2. Decide on the rhythm and notes. Ensure that there are no clashing notes
   • A good tip is to follow the vocal melody
3. Polish the accents to ensure that the band is in sync

Cutting

Cutting, closely related to Accenting, is also a method to emphasize specific notes, with the difference being that the notes are stopped right after hitting.

This effect creates space after each hit, thus resulting in both high and low dynamics in a short amount of time

1. Pick out a point/phrase in the song that you want to add cuts
2. Decide on the rhythm and notes. Ensure that there are no clashing notes.
3. Polish the cuts to ensure that the band is in sync. Tips for cleaner and stronger cuts:
   • Drums: Hit both cymbal and kick. Choke the cymbal immediately (Grab it)
   • Guitar/Bass: Mute strings quickly
   • Keyboard: Don’t use sustain pedal
   • Vocals: Usually the only sustained note in a cut

Delayed Entrance

A delayed entrance is when the music stops and returns after a fixed time. This technique emphasizes the vocals, which often continue despite the stopped music.

1. Pick a point in the song to add a delayed entrance
2. Decide on which beat to stop and resume the music
   • When the music resumes, it is usually a strong accent by the whole band
3. Polish the segment so that the band is in sync

Case Study

Let’s have a look at a live performance of That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars (if you can’t tell by now, his live performances are full of re-arrangements). See if you can pick out the live music arrangement techniques he uses: